Anna Goldfield

I am a researcher affiliated with the Anthropology Department of UC Davis. I received my Ph.D in Archaeology from Boston University in 2017. My research focuses on Neanderthal nutrition and subsistence behavior. I analyze the faunal remains from Neanderthal (Middle Paleolithic) and anatomically modern human (Upper Paleolithic) archaeological sites to understand how these two populations used the food resources around them. My work has taken me to southwest France, South Africa, and the Aleutian Islands.

Science communication and outreach are a tremendously important part of my career. I write a monthly column for Sapiens online magazine, spotlighting researchers in anthropology and their experiences in the field. I’ve also started an archaeology and anthropology podcast called The Dirt, which covers all the amazing, weird, gross, and fascinating stories from our shared human history. The Dirt is available on the Apple Podcast app, as well as on Google Play, Stitcher, and Soundcloud.

​The Dirt Podcast

Join Anna and Amber, two friends and big nerds, as we get excited about all the weird, amazing, mysterious, and fascinating stories from our human past.